The present invention relates to restraint positioning and protective devices for use in aircraft, and more particularly to an improved torso restraint system for an aircrewman.
In the flight of high-performance aircraft, particularly those of the military, an aircrewman is often subjected to high acceleration or G-loads that may displace him sufficiently out of position to interfere with control of the aircraft. These G-loads, most frequently encountered in flight during high-speed maneuvers, are applied to the crewman in either direction along the longitudinal (G.sub.x), lateral (G.sub.y) and vertical (G.sub.z) axes of the aircraft. In fact, the expected operational accelerations of modern high-performance military aircraft are in the ranges of .+-.6G.sub.x, .+-.3G.sub.y, +8G.sub.z and -2G.sub.z. Thus, firm and reliable inflight retention of aircrewmen aboard such modern aircraft is essential to their functionability and effectiveness as well as to that of the aircraft itself.
Existing inflight restraint systems have performed satisfactorily during the past several years in maintaining proper positioning of aircrewmen subjected to normally encountered flight loads. However, those existing systems have been less effective and less reliable with the advent of higher performance, more maneuverable aircraft, and the resulting increased probability of departure from controlled +G flight. An improved system for restraint of an aircrewman, particularly his torso, is therefore needed to maintain his operational effectiveness aboard currently developing aircraft.